Conservatives should suppress the instinct to dismiss Chris Hayes [above], the new host of MSNBC’s 8 p.m. [EDT] programming slot soon to be vacated by Ed Schultz. Yes, Hayes’ addition to MSNBC’s prime time lineup, serving as the lead-in to the left-leaning cable network’s flagship program, The Rachel Maddow Show, signals the network will continue to represent a brand of liberalism well to the left of the American center. It is also a continuation of another trend that should trouble conservatives: MSNBC branded itself both as a sophisticated and academic debate forum in the ... Read more